KRS 49.450: Contracts regarding crime -- Money to be paid to Crime Victims

Compensation Board -- Disposition.

(1) Every person contracting with any person or the representative or assignee of any

person accused or convicted of a crime in this state, with respect to the reenactment

of such crime, by way of a movie, book, magazine article, radio, or television

presentation, live entertainment of any kind, or from the expression of such person's

thoughts, feelings, opinions, or emotions regarding such crime, shall pay over to the

Crime Victims Compensation Board any moneys which would otherwise, by terms

of such contract, be owing to the person so accused or convicted or his

representatives.

(2) After deducting all sums paid to the victim by the board, the boa rd shall deposit

such moneys in its accounts for the benefit of and payable to any victim of crimes

committed by such person, provided that such person is eventually convicted of the

crime and provided further that such victim, within five (5) years of the date of the

crime, brings a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction and recovers a

money judgment against such person or his or her representatives.

(3) Upon disposition of charges favorable to any person accused of committing a crime,

or upon a showing by such person that five (5) years have elapsed from the board's

receipt of such funds and that such person has not been convicted of said crime and

further that no actions are pending against such person in connection with the crime

or pursuant to this section, the board shall immediately pay over any such moneys to

such person.

(4) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of the civil practice law and rules with

respect to the timely bringing of an action, the five (5) year period provided for in

subsection (2) of this section shall not begin to run until the board has received such

moneys.

(5) Any action taken by any person convicted of a crime, whether by way of execution

of a power of attorney, creation of corporate entities, or otherwise, to defeat the

purpose of this section shall be null and void as against the public policy of this

state.

(6) The failure of a person to pay moneys to the board in accordance with subsection

(1) of this section shall create a debt due and owing to the board f rom that person

and shall constitute a preferential lien to the state which may be collected by the

board by civil process.